Every ordinary movement felt miraculous.
And heartbreaking.
He was fourteen.
I’d lost the years when he was ten.
Eleven.
Twelve.
Thirteen.
No one could return them.
But he was here.
I reached across the table.
He took my hand immediately.
Then whispered:
“Mom, will Caleb get to come home too?”
My throat tightened.
“That’s what we’re going to work toward.”
His eyes filled.
“He protected me.”
I nodded.
“Then it’s our turn to protect him.”
***
The investigators found the orange tube that afternoon.
Inside was a memory card.
A folded list of names.
And a photograph.
When Detective Ellis brought me a copy, I recognized one name immediately.
**MICHAEL MORGAN.**
Ben’s younger brother.
My stomach tightened.
“What does this mean?”
Ellis looked troubled.
“Michael appears in several financial records connected to the transportation businesses.”
I stared at her.
“He moved across the country years ago.”
She nodded.
“That’s what we need to examine.”
